Emergency launching system for torpedoes



J. H. HAMMOND, JR. EMERGENCY LAUNCHING SYSTEM FOR TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1 916. RENEWED OCT. 9,1919.

Patented July 20, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMERGENCY LAUNCHING SYSTEM FOR TORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20,1920.

Application filed June 1, 1916, Serial No. 101,107. Renewed October 9, 1919. Serial No. 329,648.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN HAYS HAM- MOND, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Gloucester, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Emergency Launching System for Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an emergency system for auotomatically launching a torpedo from a torpedo boat when any vital portion of the boatis pierced by a projectile.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a torpedo boat provided with an emergency system constructed in accordance with this invention for launching a torpedo; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section showing the result when a projectile pierces the protective inclosure. forming a portion of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, this invention is shown'in one of its forms as applied to a torpedo boat 5, which is driven by any suitable propeller 6, actuated by any suitable means as, for instance, by an internal combustion engine 7 The boat is also provided with the usual or any suitable torpedo tube 11 arranged to contain a torpedo 12. T For launching the torpedo 12 from the tube 11 a tank 13, containing compressed air, is arranged in the boat and a pipe 16 leads from the tank 13 through a valve 17 and into the inner end of the torpedo tube 11. The valve 17 is: controlled by an electromagnet 20 which when energized causesthe valve to open'and'to admit compressed air from the tank 13 into the inner end of the torpedo tube 11 to force thetorpedo 12 out of the tube. The V electromagnet 20 is provided with two windings, one. of which is in a circuit 23 including a switch 21 and a battery 25, and which is controlled in any well known or suitable mannerby suitable wireless receiving apparatus 26, which is rovidedtherefor upon the boat so that the launching of the torpedo 12 may be controlled by radiant energy transmitted from a distant station. The wireless receiving apparatus 26 mayalso be arranged in a well known manner to control the -direction of movement of the boat through a suitable conduit 27 controlling well known or suitable connections (not shown) with a rudder 28.

For automatically causing the launching of the torpedo 12 when a projectile pierces a vital portion of the boat, as for instance the portion of the boat containing the engine 7, or the portion of the boat contain ing the wireless receiving apparatus 26, these vital portions of the boat are inclosed by two spaced walls made of conducting material such, for instance, as mild sheet steel. In the form of this invention shown in the drawings the engine 7 and the wireless receiving apparatus 26 are each surrounded by separate inclosures ofthis character, the engine 7 being surrounded by an oblong rectangular inclosui'e comprising two outer vertical sides walls 30 and 31, two outer 7 vertical end walls 32, 33, two inner vertical side walls 3 1, 35, and two inner vertical end walls 36 and 37. The outer walls 30, 31, 32 and 33 form a continuous casing, and the inner walls 34, 35, 36. andv 37, also form a continuous casing, and these casings are spaced slightly apart and are insulated one from the other by suitable vertical strips of insulation 40, and these walls 30 to 37 are insulated from the boat' 5.

The wireless receiving apparatus 26 is also surrounded by an outer casing comprising two vertical side walls 50 and 51 and two vertical ends walls 52 and 53, and by'an inner casing comprising two vertical side walls 54 and 55, and two vertical end walls 56 and 57, all these walls being made of any suitable conducting sheet material such for instance, as mild sheet steel, and the outer casing 50, 51, 52 and 53 being spaced slightly from and insulated from the inner casing 5a, 55, 56 and 57 by means of suitable strips of insulation 60, and both of these casings being insulated from the boat. Any other vitalportions'of the boat 5 might be similarly surrounded by inner and outer casings of sheet metal, or all-of the vital portions of the boat might be surrounded by a single inclosure consisting of inner and outer casings of sheet metal insulated from each other andfrom the boat.

In the form of this invention shown in the drawings the outer casing surrounding the engine 7 is connected to one end of a conductor 65 which leads to one pole of a battery 66, the other pole of which is connected through a switch 66 to a conductor 67 which includes one coil of the electromagnet 20 and which is terminally connected to the inner casing surrounding the engine 7, and by a branch wire 68 to the inner casing Surrounding the wireless receiving, {113F114 ratus 26. Normally no current flows through the battery '66 and its coil on-the electromagnet 20, as there is normally no electrical connection between the outer casings and the inner casings surrounding the engine '7 and the wireless receiving apparatus 26, but when a bullet pierces the outer and inner casing which surrounds the engine 7 or the outer and inner casing which-sun rounds the wireless receiving apparatus 26,

"as illustrated for instance in Fig. 2 where a projectile 7 5 is shown piercing the side walls 51 and 55 surrounding the wireless receiving apparatus, then the clrcuit 1s closed through the battery 66 thus energizing the electromagnet QOandcausing air to be admitted from the tank 15 into the'torpe'do tube llto force the torpedo 12 out of" the tube. i

Although only a single form is shown in which thisinvention may be embodied, it is understood that this invention is not limited to any specific construction but might be applied in various forms without depart ing'itromthespirit of the invention. or the scope of the appended claims.

'Havingythus fully described this invention, I claim and desire to protectby Letters :Patent of the United States 1. A marine vessel having support adapted to receive a torpedo, and in combination with said support, torpedo launchng means, and means includmg a normally open electric clrcuit including spaced conducting plates capable of closing said circult when they are pierced by a discharged projectile to r'ender said torpedo launching means act ve'forthe launching o't'the torpedo. l

'2.A marine vesselhavinga support adapted to receive a torpedo, and in combination with said'support, pneumatic torpedolaunching means, and means including a normallyopen electric circuit including F spaced conducting plates forming a part of torpedo.

the marine vessel structure, said plates being capable 01": closing said circuit when they are pierced'by a discharged projectile to cause the automatic launching of the 3. The combination. with a support adapted to, hold a torpedo, of means for launch- In'g a t'orpedo from said support, and means including a normally open electric: circuit contamlng spaced conduct ng plates arranged to control said launching means, said open circuit being arranged to be closed by the piercing of said plates by a projectile oi conducting material.

" 4. The combination with a support adapt ed to hold a torpedo, ofnieans for launching a torpedo from saidsnpporh means responsive to radiant energy for controlling said 7 launching means, and means operable independently of said first mentioned controllin means and arranged to be actuated by the movement ofia projectile for causing the launching of a torpedo from said support.

5; The combination with a support adapt-- ed to hold a torpedo, of means for launching a torpedo from said supportincluding a normally open electric circuit containing spaced sheet conductors, said open circuit being arranged to be closed asfa result of the piercing of said conductors by a con lronrsaid" support, receiving means car ried said body and responsiveto radiant energy to controlsaidj'launching means, and means for controllingsaid launching means- 'independfently; of saichrec'eiving means" and comprising 7 a normally 1 open electric s circuit containing j spaced conducting' platesarranged adjacent said receiving means. 7 V r 1 i .8. The combination with a movable body, of means carried 7 thereby for propelling the same, a support-carried by said body and arranged to hold a torpedo, means for lall r chlng a; torpedo from said support, receiving means carrl'ed'by said body and responsive to radiant energy to control said 1 launching means, and 'meansincluding spaced conductl-ng plates arranged ad acent said propelling means and said :i'eceiving means fOrcontrOllin-g said launchingmeans, 9. The combination with a: movable body,

with means carried thereby forpropelli-ng 1 the same, a support carriedby saidbody for holdinga torpedo, receiving means responsive to. radiant energy 'c'arried'by said body and arranged to' co-ntr ol said launching means and also the direction of move ment' of said body, and means includinga normally" open electric circuit containing spaced conducting plates operable independently' of said'receivmgpmeans for. controlling .said laun'chi'ng means, said open circuit being arranged to; be closedas the result of "the piercing of said'conducting plates by a projectile. or i 10; The'j c'ombinationi with a support adapted to hold a" torpedo, of means' for launching a torpedo from said support, and

means including a normally open electric circuit containing spaced conducting elements arranged to control said launching means, said open circuit being arranged to be closed by the piercing of said elements by a projectile of conducting material to cause a torpedo to be launched from said support.

11. The combination With a support adapted to hold a torpedo, of means for launching a torpedo from said support, and means including a normally open electric circuit containing spaced conducting surfaces arranged to control said launching means, said open circuit being arranged to be closed by the piercing of said surfaces by a projectile of conducting material to cause a torpedo to be launched from said support.

12. The combination 7 with a support adapted to hold a torpedo, of means for launching a torpedo from said support, and means including a normally open electric circuit containing spaced conducting screens arranged to control said launching means, said open circuit being arranged to be closed by the piercing of said screens by a projectile of conducting material to cause a torpedo to be launched from said support.

13. The combination with a support adapted to hold a torpedo, of means for launching a torpedo from said support, and means including a normally open electric circuit containing spaced conducting screens arranged to control said launchin means, said open circuit being arrange to be closed by the piercing of said screens by a projectile of conducting material to cause a torpedo to be launched from said support, each of said screens covering a considerable area, and said screens being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the ordinary projectile used in warfare.

14. The combination With a support adapted to hold a body to be projected, of means for projecting said body from said support, and means including a normally open electric circuit containing spaced conducting elements arranged to control said projecting means, said open circuit being arranged to be closed by the piercing of said elements by a projectile of conducting material to cause said body to be projected from said support.

Signed at Gloucester in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts this 26th day of May A. D. 1916.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR.

'VVitnesses WM. E. KERR, LESLIE BUSWELL. 

